Transfer Eight Week Six

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was good. We have done a lot of less active work, and have seen lots of families that we care about!! :)

Monday - We did our normal p-day routine. Just did the things we needed to do for the rest of the week, which was good :) We had dinner with the Matthews, which are a great family!! They have 3 girls and one baby boy :) it is fun to have dinner with them :) We then went and met with the Bagley's at Wendy's, and spent a little time talking with them before they left for a trip :) That was fun :) Then we went to the Ricketson's, and spent some time there strengthening them and helping them to have the Spirit :) It was good :)

Tuesday - We had district meeting and learned more about how to get investigators to church. It is still a big struggle but if we can start convincing them correctly they should come :) It is all about following the Spirit on that one :) Then we saw the Ricketson's and taught their daughter and son the Restoration. It was fun :) We are working on teaching more simply :) It should be good :)

Wednesday - We met with Michelle and helped strengthen her. She was going through a hard time, so we helped her with that :) She is really sweet, so it was good :) We also tried to see some others but that didn't happen. It was good though :) We had dinner with the Rees family and they are amazing!! They have done so much for me and it has been great working with them :) It is good :) Then we met with the Verduzco family and taught them the Restoration. Or rather their son taught and we asked questions :) It was good :) Then we went and saw the Gonzalez family. They are a family that has all girls in the house :) Kinda reminds me of home :) It was fun to talk with them and to help them :) Had a good time :)

Thursday - It was a normal working day instead of weekly planning. We did service for a member, by helping her organize her craft room. She had a ton of stuff, so it was fun :) She does stampin up, so she had that stuff too. It was fun to see what she had, that mommy has or did have. It was exciting :) We also taught the Ricketson's the Plan of Salvation. It was good. We had a hard time teaching it simply, but it was good :) Then we had dinner at a less active home. We are the first missionaries to be invited to their home for dinner, so that was good!! We had shrimp that was wrapped in bacon and cheese, then we had steak (which was amazing) green beans, mushrooms and eggplant. It was a good meal. I tried things that I hadn't really had before, so that was good :) Turns out I like mushrooms and eggplant, if it is cooked correctly :) It was good :)

Friday - It was the Fourth of July!! Yay!! We spent the morning doing service, then the rest of the day until dinner either in the apartment, or at urgent care. I had a cold all week and started to get a lot of sinus pressure, so we were doing things to help with that, then I started wheezing, and that wasn't going away, so we went to urgent care. I am okay, now I have antibiotics and an inhaler in case I need it. Then we had dinner at the Ricketson's and then where in by 6 and did weekly Planning. It was a good day :) Had some hard things, but still good :)

Saturday - We tried seeing people and taking care of the things we had to do because of the ward split. We saw the Rees family and spent some time with them :) It was fun. Exciting to be with her and talk with her :) She is amazing!! Then we had dinner with the Verduzco's and had ribs, and baked potatoes :) It was good :) Then we went to the Ricketson's and taught another lesson to the kids. We also found out that night about transfers. Which was good, because then we could tell people on Sunday. Fun stuff :)

Sunday - We had to go to all 3 wards. But luckily they were each only 1 hour :) it was good. Found out who the new bishopric was and how things get to start rolling. We spent the time in between talking and letting people know that we were getting transferred. It was good. Hard to say that we were leaving to some families and it will be hard to go, but this is God's plan :) Then we had dinner with the Schneider's, and let them know that we were leaving. We also saw the Sterling's. They are an amazing family!! She is a strong sister and has helped us a lot on our missions. She gives great advice and is a sweetheart :) It was good to be with her :)

If you haven't guessed, I am being transferred. I am going to Redlands, to serve in the Prospect Park ward with Sister Morgan. It will be fun, and I am excited!! It is hard to leave those I have been with, but it will be good.

The desert is my second longest area, so that will be hard. I will forever remember it here. it was a great place to serve, and wonderful people to serve with. :)

I hope you all have a great week!! I love you all so much!!! <3 

Transfer Eight Week Five

Dear Family,

This week was a pretty good one. We were trying new things, and are working on applying lessons that we have learned.

Monday - We had P-day. We went to a less actives home, and did our laundry there, and just relaxed at her home :) It was nice not to have to stress so much. We had dinner with her too, so that was good :) That night we met with the Bagley's who just got home from a trip to Nauvoo. It was amazing to hear what they learned. :)

Tuesday - We had District meeting, and that went well. We talked a lot about how to plan. I have been struggling with that, and so it was good to ask questions on it :) I learned a lot and finally know how to really plan :) We also had interviews with President Van Cott, and we talked a lot. He is going to be helping me with a few things. We talked about trying harder to not spend so much time with members. We have set the goal to only spend 15-30 mins at members homes. It will be challenging, but it will be good :) We had dinner with a great sister named Sister Bailey and she is awesome!! Love her!!!

Wednesday - We taught a lesson in the morning. It was with the Acosta family who it less active, but we decided to work with them. We found out that their 13 year old daughter isn't a member, so guess who picked up a new investigator :) That's right, we did!! It was great!! We also taught our other investigator that day, and is was amazing! It was nice to get some work in :)

Thursday - we had weekly planning, and then worked on getting area maps. We are trying to split our area into smaller area's so that we could walk a  little bit more and not waste miles. It was good. we had dinner with a great family. They made burgers, potato salad, and watermelon with smoothies. Then for dessert we had ice cream sundae's :) It was good :) We also had a lesson with a less active in our ward. She also gave us a bunch of stuff :) They had coupons and tons of housekeeping stuff and gave us a bunch. It was good :)

Friday - We saw a less active Sister and are going to be trying to visit with her weekly. We also decided to write cards to all of the auxiliaries in our wards. Just thank you's for all that they have done it was good :) We then had a lesson with Sister Bailey and watched the Joseph Smith - Prophet of the Restoration movie with her. We had to leave a little early, but it was still good :)

Saturday - We were on exchanges. That was rough but good. I had the other Sister take the lead in a lot of things. So that was fun :) It was a long day though. We also found out today that our wards are splitting. They are breaking the Bermuda Dunes ward and the Santa Rosa ward in half, both of them, and creating an entirely new ward. It is crazy!! So right at this moment, I am covering 3 wards. The Bermuda Dunes Ward, the Santa Rosa Ward, and the Shadow Hills Ward. It was/is crazy!!!

Sunday - We had Stake conference again. It was good. they talked a lot about adversity and how to overcome it. It was good. They shared an essay written by a boy. It was really good, and titled "The Room". You should all get online and read it. It is amazing!!! We have decided though that we are going to have to do a lot of repair work. The wards are both really sad because of the split. This week we are going to be working on getting them excited for the change and what this means. We are hoping that it gets better. It is exciting for us :)

Next week is transfers! I hope everyone has a great week!!! I love you all so much! You are in my prayers!!

Oh this is cool :)

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 (=+=)       <== It is a bunny!!!

Transfer Eight Week Four

Dear Family,

This week was pretty good. I don't really remember all that truly happened, so bear with me :)

Monday - We had our normal P-day routine, and tried to get everything done. We also had an appointment with Michelle, who is a recent convert, and talked to her about scripture study, and how important it is to study your scriptures daily. It was really neat :)

Tuesday - Had district meeting, and learned all the things that we need to do as missionaries. Sometimes I like it, and sometimes I don't. It is all good though :) We also went and walked around a park with less actives that we are meeting with. It was a lot of fun :)

Wednesday - Made lots of phone calls, and were really trying hard to get things done. We were able to meet with Carlos again, and strengthen him more. It was good :) We also had a meeting with the Correnti's. It was just a good day.

Thursday - We had weekly planning, and worked on getting that done quickly. It was good. Once that was done, we went and helped with the wedding of our Bishop's oldest daughter. We helped with setting up lights, and then went to help cook treats at a non-members home. We also had a Relief Society activity that night on temples, and made temple bracelets. They are just beaded bracelets that have a clip on them so that when you go through an endowment session you can clip the name you have to your wrist and not have to worry about losing it. I am excited to use it :) We then worked more on the wedding prep.

Friday - We were on exchanges today. We also saw lots and lots of people!! It is amazing the miracles that happen on exchanges. We were able to teach 6 lessons today, which hasn't happened in months. It was great! We also got a new investigator!! It was amazing! Her name is Sister Bales and she wants the peace that the gospel can bring. :) It is exciting!!

Saturday - We did service today!! We helped a recent convert family clean windows and prepare their house just in case they were going to move. It was fun to help them. We also had dinner with the Correnti's at IHOP, which was fun :) It was a good day.

Sunday - It was the Sabbath!! We were able to go to church. It was good. Sister Kelly gave a talk in the Santa Rosa ward, so I was in Bermuda Dunes today. It was great though, Sister Ricketson came to church!! She hasn't been in months and it was so good to have her there!! She said that she is going to be coming more often!! It is awesome!! We met with her that night, she wants to go back to the temple and is going to get there. She said that she wants the happiness again. She also said that she was reading her scriptures daily, even with out us asking her to. It is great!!

That was my week. Nothing extremely exciting, but doing what the Lord has asked, and getting things done as he would have them done :) It was fun.

I hope you all have a great week!! I love you!!!

Transfer Eight Week Three

Dearest Family,

This week was a pretty okay, maybe not, but still ended good week :) 

We had a few ups and downs though. One of the downs that we had is that one of our investigators dropped us. Yup, she dropped us. It is okay though. The Lord is going to take care of her. She told us that she didn't have the time to put into the gospel and that because of that she didn't want to waste our time. It was really sad. She so needs the gospel too. Just one of those hard days that we had. 

It was a pretty good week though. We did lots and lots of service!! It was a lot of fun to be able to help people in another way then just teaching them the gospel. 

We were helping our bishops wife this week. Her oldest daughter is getting married and they are doing everything for it. The bishops wife is a seamstress and she made all of the bridesmaid dresses, and the wedding dress. It is crazy how amazing she is! So we helped with what we could :) It meant helping her clean her home, because all of her family is going to be staying with them, and they needed some help with that. So, we shampooed carpets and furniture. It is a new talent that I have. It was also really nasty to realize all the gunk that was in the floor and the furniture. It is one of those things that I have realized that when I get home I really want to clean the carpets and all the furniture just to what it will look like afterwards :) We also helped her make table decorations and fabric flowers. Bishop talked to us on Sunday and said how grateful he was that we had helped. He said it took a lot of stress off of his wife. I told him no worries. I remember what it was like for all of us when Shanae got married and we didn't even do a ton. It has been fun to get to know them better.

This week I was just trying to figure out what the Lord really has planned for us. It was a little trying and as a companionship we had some ups and downs. It was funny though, they never last long and we get over them quick. Sister Kelly mentioned that it wouldn't be a good relationship if there weren't some ups and downs. It is so true though. In marriage you have those, the difference is that then you can get away from the person if you need to for a little bit. On a mission you are with the other person all the time. You aren't the same and you have differences. Some things are not going to click, it is what happens. It was a very good learning week. 

We also had a baptism!! Carlos Flores, who is 11, got baptized yesterday!!! It was so exciting to see. He has prepared himself, and is really ready for all of this. It was fun. The really great part was that we didn't have to do anything. We had planned for the ward to do all of it but then we as missionaries taught the Message of the Restoration of Jesus Christ during the time as Carlos changed. It was really good to be able to teach that. There were members and non-members there, so it was really good to be able to teach. I enjoyed that a lot :) We also brought the Spirit even stronger than it was before. I like teaching better than watching videos or anything else. It was fun. 

Okay, so I know that I haven't done this before, but today I had an amazing personal study. I have never felt the Spirit Stronger or received so much revelation. I was reading in the May 2014 general conference address. I read the talk in the Saturday morning session. It was President Henry B. Eyring titled A Priceless Heritage of Hope. Just so you all know, you should read it all personally. It is way good!!!  It talks a lot about the covenants that we receive, and then the blessings that those are providing for those who will come after us, and those that came before us. It is really powerful and way good :) There is a part that I really liked it says, " suggest that you take both the short and the long view as you try to give the inheritance of hope to your family. In the short run, there will be troubles and Satan will roar. And there are things to wait for patiently, in faith, knowing that the Lord acts in His own time and in His own way." It took me a while to think of this. I have come to find out, that I am a fixer. Everyone I meet, whenever they are having troubles, I want to fix them, well, that isn't the best thing to do. So, I am working on it. I have realized though, from that talk and some pondering that it is all going to be okay. I don't have to fix everything. As long as I have faith God is going to take care of all of it. No matter what happens I just need to believe that my Heavenly Father is going to provide me with strength and comfort. I am going to be okay and all of those around me will be okay. Everyone that I love, everyone that I care about, they are going to be okay. I need to faith in that. I need to remember, and to recognize that I am not the healer. I am not the savior for everyone. Heavenly Father is the one that takes care of everything. He sent down His only son. He is the one that provided us with Jesus Christ, our Savior. I need to remember that, and I feel that there are those out there that also need to remember that. We can't fix everything. We can't make it better. We just have to encourage those around us. You are your own person. You have to make mistakes in order to learn, in order to grow. You have to do things, I can't help with everything. I am not supposed to help with everything. I can be here for you though. I can give you the work of encouragement that you need. I can provide you with the scripture that could help you, but I cannot take away your challenges. I can't save you. Jesus Christ and God can though. You can save yourself, but you can't do it alone. You need to have Christ, you need to believe in them . Have the faith. They are given to us to turn to. We have families and we have friends, not to save us from our trials, but to give us comfort. We have loved ones, because God knew that we would need some cheerleaders in our lives. He knew that we were going to have hard times, and need someone there to remind us of our greatest potential. Have faith, and don't stress. God is there. 

All right. That was a really big rant, but it is what I have learned and it is what I am going to be applying to my life. It is all going to work out. 

I love you all so much! I am here for you, to encourage you on your path. You can do this!!! Have a wonderful week everyone :) 

I love you!! You are in my prayers!!!

Transfer Eight Week Two

Dear Family,

This week went pretty well. To be a little honest, I don't exactly remember what happened all week so we will see how this goes :)

Monday - It was P-day! We emailed (My email wasn't working, but that is okay) went shopping, it was amazing to be able to buy real food :) We had money on our cards again :) Then we went home and wrote letter, I think I accomplished 3 letters that day :) It was an amazing feat :) We also cleaned the apartment and did laundry :) All the things that makes life easier for the rest of the week :) We then had dinner with our Bishop in the Bermuda Dunes ward. It was fun. I like getting to know the bishops in their home setting, people are different when they are at home :) We then did service for a non -member! Her husband is less active and she was moving, so we helped move :) It took the rest of the night, but was way good to do. It was nice to finally help someone physically :)

Tuesday -  We had District meeting and it went well. It is different with every district leader, so things went differently but it was still really good. We were able to get things done and figure things out. We then went to go and see people. There are still a lot of people in the two wards that we don't know yet. We are working on it through. We then had dinner with a family in the Bermuda dunes ward and while we were there all of the boys of the family left, so it was just the mom and us. :) It was funny. :) We then taught our regular appointment with the twins from Australia and then helped our bishops wife in the Santa Rosa ward with wedding stuff. Her daughter is getting married on the 20th. It was fun to get back into that kind of a thing. I remember helping Shanae. It was different now though. I don't know. Just something that we did.

Wednesday - We went around and tried to see people again. A lot of our time is finding out who is where, and if we know then or not. It is something that we do :) We were able to see sister Ricketson, who is a less active member in our ward. She is great! I truly have a great time with her :) We also taught Carlos. We taught him the 10 commandments today and are working on getting him ready for baptism :) It is fun :)

Thursday - It was weekly planning. Got it done faster than before. We had a treat and it was Popsicles :) Something little and fun to have :) We will see what I get this week for a treat :) We taught Carlos again today. We are really trying to finish up all his lessons. It was really funny yesterday when we went to see him, we were told that one of his cats was going to have kittens and that we would have to wait 2 week until then came, well.... Surprise! They came today, and we got to hold them!! They were so cute!! They barely fit in the palm of my hand, they were so little!! It was adorable!!! :)

Friday - We helped Sister Ricketson today! She needed help setting up for her daughters birthday party, so we helped out :) It was fun :) Her husband is a non member and we helped him a lot when we are there. It was really good :) We also saw Carlos for the last time before his interview. It went really well!! He is so ready to be baptized!!!  :) We also saw two recent convert families :) The Bojanavitch family, and the Bagley's :) It was so fun!!  :) A pretty good day :) We also had dinner with the Thomas family. They are in the Bermuda Dunes ward, and are so sweet!! The took a picture of us to send to you guys :) It was really sweet of them :)

Saturday - We did service fore Sister Bagley. She was making frozen meals for a non member family who is going through a really hard time and so we went and helped :) We also had Carlos's interview. It went really well and he is all ready to be baptized on the 15th!! We are so excited!! We also met this amazing less active sister today!! We got her records form our ward mission leader in the Santa Rosa Ward but she lives in the Bermuda Dunes ward. She is amazing!! Her family has so many miracle stories, it is just wonderful!! She is headed up to Utah for the summer but said that when she gets back she wants to see us again!! It was great!!!

Sunday - It was a stressful day. I had to give a talk in the Santa Rosa ward, so I was stressing about that all week. It was crazy!! We then had to have dinner at 3:15 because we had a baptism that we had to teach the restoration at at 5. It was a crazy busy day. We weren't out of the church building until 3. So we were rushing all over the place. It was really cool though. The spirit was so strong, and it was just amazing!!

Overall the week was good, and I remembered more than I thought I would :) It was amazing!!

I hope everyone has a great week!! I love y'all so much!! You are in my prayers!!
Love you!!

Transfer Eight Week One

Dear Family and Friends,

This past week was a good one. Got to do some work, and also got some bad news, but we will go into that :)

Monday - It was P-day!! But it was a little funky. Because it was a holiday (I loved those in school, but now I don't like them) the library was closed. That meant that we didn't get to email. We did do all of our other things though. Cleaned the house, washed the car, went shopping, and then relaxed and wrote letters. I was still was recovering from being sick so I tried to take it easy. It was good. We had FHE that night with some recent converts and celebrated a birthday with them!! It was a lot of fun to be able to sit with them and get to know them. It was really fun. We also got to know the elders in the Bermuda Dunes ward a little more. They are really funny. I never would have thought. You learn new things everyday

Tuesday - We had the second part of our P-day. We got to email our friends and family!! It was really exciting to be able to email everyone. That really is one of my favorite times. To be able to hear how everything is going, and what everyone is doing. It is really nice :) We also went and taught a few lessons today as well. I am having a hard time remembering Tuesday. It is amazing how much happens in one week. Oh, we did find out some sad news. Our investigator Daniela, who is getting baptized on July 5th. Got kicked out of her home. She is now in Mecca and that is not in our area. It is really sad. We have to figure out how we are going to make sure she progresses now. It will be different. One of the many things that we get to figure out now :)

Wednesday - Today we went and saw some great people!! Our evenings have been way busy and we have been trying to get everything taken care of. We saw a less active sister. She is great!! Her name is Sister Ball, and she is in her 80's. She is amazing!! Has a kick in her step and tells us about everything. She is great!! We were also about to have dinner with Sister Risketson. She is a sweet lady and has been a great strength to us. :) We have enjoyed getting to know her and seeing how she is doing. We also got to teach activity days today!!! They needed a teacher and we had to teach about FHE. It was great!! We ended up playing a game called "Hi Bob, Yes Bob? Tell Bob." It was tons of fun!! The girls were great!! Had a good time :)

Thursday - Weekly Planning!! Still not my favorite thing in the world, but it is getting better. We are able to really plan out our week. It is helping the work, I just gotta figure out a way to make it exciting. I think I am going to by me a treat that I can only eat during weekly planning. I think that may help. It will be good :) We also got to teach Carlos!! He is progressing to baptism at an amazing rate!! It is go good to see him grow in the gospel!! He is understanding a lot when we teach it, but is having a hard time retaining it. We will see what actually ends up happening. It will be good :) We got to also meet with one of the YSA's in our ward. She is wanting to go to a singles ward and may end up going all the way to Redlands to do that. We will see what happens. It will all work out though. The Lord helps those He has.

Friday - We got to each one of our investigators!! We were considering dropping one of them, because we have had a hard time teaching her, and keeping her focused. It is all going to be well though. The lesson we had with her was amazing!! The Spirit was really strong, and we were able to determine that we were going to keep teaching her!! It was great!! We were also able to meet with Sister Rees. She is an active sister in our ward that has been amazing! We love seeing her and have been concerned with her. She is doing really well, just a few scares with her health. It is all going to be okay though. The Lord watches over those that He has here :) It is all going to work out :)

Saturday - We got to meet with Carlos again. We taught the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom. We found out how innocent our 11 year old investigator really is. When we were teaching about Chastity I had said that is was refraining from sexual relations outside of marriage. He got a confused look and said 'awkward'. I then asked if he knew what it meant, he said that he didn't and that he didn't want to know until he was 20, then 25, then 30. It was really cute :) It was nice to have. Still a weird lesson, but one we have to teach. We also got to meet with Crystal. We haven't been in contact with her for a while because things haven't worked out quite right. We are trying to get things to work out and to see what is going on. She is going through a bunch of different programs to get clean and to work out everything else that is going on. She is sweet. We committed her to read the Book of Mormon and really stressed how important it is. Hopefully all will go well :)

Sunday - It was church!! And then we had a really busy day. We were able to see two less actives!! The Risketsons, and the Sterlings!! Both wonderful families that have been taking good care of us. I was finally able to meet Brother Sterling and it was fun to watch them interact with their kids :) Made me miss home a little, but still amazing to see :)

All in all, this week was a good one!! We are teaching a couple of investigators. and praying that things are going to keep progressing  :) It has been fun :)

You are all in my prayers!! have a great week!!

I love you all so much!!!

Thoughts for Future Missionaries

The Branch President in Chaylee's home branch asked her to answer a few questions that they will share with the youth in their branch:

1. What specific items would she would focus on to prepare?
• Read Preach My Gospel. Focus on how it can help you become a better teacher. Focus on the Spirit, and understand how you can better feel it. Being on a mission isn't about the words that you speak, or how intellectual you are. It is about if you have the Spirit with you. Remember that it isn't about you. The time that you give is for the Lord and His children. You are just a mouth piece for all of it.
2. If she could do it all over again, what would she do more of/less of?
• Study more of Preach My Gospel and focus on the way that you can help people. I would study the scriptures more and focus on the lessons that are in them. Realize that your potential is infinite. Everything that you can do is up to the Lord and God. If They want you to baptize then you will baptize. If They want you to work with those who have a struggling testimony, then that is where you will work. Everything is up to them, and realizing that it very important.
3. What traits/skills does she admire in her fellow missionaries?
• The way that they teach. To teach simply is a skill and one that I am trying to acquire. It is amazing the testimony that other missionaries can bare when they are teaching simply. Also, being able to have Godly love for the people, no matter what their situation is. Loving the people and not judging them is sometimes hard. Being able to do that it a skill, that will be forever needed.
4. What practical items (social skills, manners, cleanliness etc) would she recommend?
• Learn to clean!! One of the hardest things is to feel the Spirit in a dirty environment. If your apartment is clean, then you will receive more revelation. Manners are a big one. Remember that everyone is always watching you. You are a missionary, to kids you are like an angel to them, and what you do they will follow. Learn to say appropriate things in dinners, and to have good manners. It is very important to chew with your mouth closed!!! No one wants to see what you eat. Remember that talking to people is hard, but even smiling at someone is missionary work.
5. Testimony.
• I know that going on a mission is hard. It can seem very scary at times. I also know that it is the Lord that helps you with everything. He has been there for me, when I have needed Him the most. God loves you. He wants the best for you. He isn’t going to leave anyone behind. I know that the Gospel is true, and without it we would not be where we are today. I know that the trials that I go through are actually blessings. It is amazing to see the miracles that happen on a mission with others and with yourself. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and without him I would not be able to teach those around me. I know that we are all imperfect people, but with the perfect Gospel we can learn to be just like Jesus Christ, and God, who are perfect. I know these things to be true. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Week Six, Transfer Seven

Dear Family,

This past week was pretty good. I will break it down for you :)

Monday - P-day!! It was awesome to talk with the family, and then we had FHE with a group of amazing people!! The are all recent converts/investigators, and we just got to spend the time with them. It was so great!! We taught about what family home evening really is, and then talked about how it works with Sunday. We also committed the Elders' investigator who was there to come to church for 3 hours. He was having a hard time with that, and said he would be there! It was great!!! We also have dinner with a great family that night! They really welcomed us in, and took good care of us. It was awesome!!!

Tuesday - We had Zone meeting. There we got to know the missionaries in our zone a little better :) The elder that is from Guatemala has been through some hard things. It is amazing the work that he is doing. I know that the Lord prepares and helps his missionaries. I get to see that miracle every day :) We were also able to stop by and just see some great people! The less actives that we see are truly amazing! They do so
much for us, and are just great!!! We have been teaching Australian twins every Tuesday, and they are fun.
They are members, but have a hard time connecting things in the gospel, so we are helping them :) It is a lot of fun!!

Wednesday - Once again, able to see great people!! We have had a wonderful time getting to know people, and working with them. There are a lot of older people in our ward, and just getting to talk with them is great!! I love what they have to say to us!! It is amazing to hear about all of the experiences that they have had in their lives. Something that I cant wait to do when I am older with the missionaries :)

Thursday - Weekly Planning. Still not one of my favorite things to do, but it worked out! We have been able to almost have everything sorta planned out for the week. It is all working out in the end. We weren't able to see one of our investigators though. Which was very sad. They had to reschedule, which is okay. Things will get there. We had dinner with the Bermuda Dunes Bishop that night, it was great!!! They are such a cute family!! It was funny, during the dinner they acted like a family and then were apologizing for it. I was laughing! They have 7 kids, and the kids acted like kids, I was having so much fun being in a house with kids again :) I loved it!!

Friday - We went on exchanges. It was fun to be able to work in my area with a different sister. Made me realize that I know my area a lot better than I thought that I did. It was a comfort to realize that. I needed to know that because of transfers coming up. We were able to teach Daniela today, and committed her to being baptized on July 5th!! It is awesome!! The Spirit was so strong! We taught the Plan of Salvation, and it was amazing!! I love how we can have to Spirit there for us when we need Him!!

Saturday - Saturday was going to be a really busy day, but we ended up spending it in the house. At 5am I woke up with huge stomach pains, and in the course of 4 hours, I threw up 3 times. It was a long day. I ended up having a fever of 101.1*F. Luckily, I was able to sleep that night though :) So, in the end, it all worked out :) (Upon questioning Chaylee assured us that she is feeling much better.)

Sunday -  It was church, and after the hard day on Saturday, we pushed though the 5 hours of it. It went well though. Felt the Spirit, and gained strength from it. It was pretty cool! We found out about transfers, and Sister Kelly and I are staying in the desert for another transfer!! I am so excited to work with her again!!

(When asked who she was teaching she gave us the following list:)

• Carlos who is 11 and getting baptized on the 15th of June 
• Kathryn and Crystal 
• Daniella who is 18 and getting baptized on the 5th of July

Things are going great!!

I love you all so much!! have a great week!!!

Sister Randall

Week Five Transfer Seven

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was a really good one! I liked how I wrote last weeks email, because I didn't forget anything, so I am gonna do that again :)

Monday - It was P-day!!! Almost the best day of the week. We were able to go shopping, email the family, and just chill. I was able to paint my nails, which I didn't realize that I was going to miss so much! It was nice to have nails that looked really pretty again :) We were also able to meet with two less actives!!! We met with the Sterlings, which is an amazing family! Sister Sterling is a return missionary, who has just had a hard time getting back into the gospel. I have realized that after missionaries go on missions a lot of them go less active. It is sad, but we are here to help bring them back! We were also able to meet with Sister Ricketson. She is also an amazing sister!! She is a foster mom, and just one of the sweetest people I have met. She cares a lot about the missionaries, which is great! Because it was the day after Mother's Day, we shared with them a couple of Mothers Day videos. It was so good!!!

Tuesday - We had zone conference!! We spent from like 8:15am - 4:15pm in meetings! It was actually really good. We were able to learn more about how to go some great work! There are things that we have to change, but it is all going great! President is actually really proud of us with how we are doing. I have to say, it is nice to hear that we are actually doing okay because there are days, and I am positive there are other missionaries that feel this way, I just feel like I have failed. But, I haven't! Which is so nice to know. :) We were then able to stop by and see the Correnti's. They are an amazing mother/daughter duo! We have really been able to get along with them. It has just been wonderful! I am really falling in love with the members here!!! We are also teaching 12 year old twins! They are members, but we have been asked to see them and help their teacher with the lessons that she teaches them on Sunday. It has been going great. Like most teenagers, they are a little crazy, but it is still going really well!!

Wednesday - We got go teach Kathryn. She is one of our investigators who is slowly progressing in the gospel. She is a sweet lady, and just needs someone to help strengthen her spiritually. It has been good :) We were also able to see Sister Ricketson again. This time we shared with her Matthew chapter 6. It was so good! Matthew 6 talks a lot about being a light and the light that Christ  has and how we need to take it and capture it inside of us. It is a way good chapter!!

Thursday - It was a way busy day. We had weekly planning, but weren't able to finish it because we had tons of appointments. It was good though. We met with a recent convert who just moved into our ward. Her name is Michelle, and she is great!! She is like a big ball of fire, and is just so much fun to be around!!  I loved getting to know her and helping her. She has planned a really fun FHE activity for tonight, it will be awesome!!! We then picked up a new investigator!!! He is 11, and named Carlos, and has told us that he is getting baptized!!! It is amazing!!! He is really understanding the gospel and is doing great!! We then met with the Correnti's and just love them!!! They are wonderful!!! We also had dinner with the Biesinger's, and they are great! I have loved getting gto know this ward!! There are some amazing members here!!!

Friday - We picked up Crystal again!! We were able to meet with her again, and picked her up as a new investigator!! It was great! There are things that are going to be worked out but we are getting there! It is wonderful!! So, she is a new investigator!! Yay!!! It was great!! We also had dinner with the Richardson's, who are also amazing! Once again, so many wonderful people!!! We got to teach Daniela as well! She is the 18 years old, that we are teaching the lessons to. She is having a hard time, but is way excited about the gospel!! She is amazing!! We met with her and are really enjoying helping her!

Saturday - We were finally able to finish weekly planning! It took us awhile but it was so good! We have been taught a new way to plan and it took a while but things now are going great!! We got to meet with Carlos again, he is getting baptized on June 15!! It is amazing!!! We then met with Sister Sterling again and talked about her mission a lot and how it isn't about numbers when you teach but about the souls that you are saving. It was a really neat experience. Well, while we were there the power flickered. No one thought too much about it. Well, when we got to the apartment the power was out. Only in our part of the grid though. It was just gone. It was crazy!! So, we did our planning by flashlight, which was a miracle that we had. The one I had gotten before I left my mission got lost and I wasn't going to get a new one. But, I did, and was very grateful. I have never needed one before until that night. We got really distracted though... Shadow puppets are tons of fun!!! Just saying :)

Sunday - It was nice :) It seems to be the one day that is the busiest but also really nice to have. We had dinner with one of our ward mission leaders and the other elders. It was fun to get to know them. We have a new elder who was serving in the Ukraine mission, but because of the unrest there he is here with us. It is fun. He is way tall though, which is making me feel very very short. I know that I am not, but it is making me feel that way.

All in all, it was a great week! We are working really well with out Ward Mission Leaders, and just having a great time!! Everything is just going great!! I am feeling great, and just doing amazing!!!

Thank you so much for all of your support! I love you so much!! Have a great week! You are all in my prayers!!!

Sister Randall

Week Four Transfer Seven

Dear Family,

This week was an odd one. We weren't able to meet with a lot of people, mainly because we weren't ever really in our area much this week.

Monday was P-day, so we spent most of that doing what we normally do. Email, shop, clean, relax. That night we didn't have a dinner, so we fed ourselves and then went to go and see a less active in our ward. We also went to go and help her. We ended up dying her daughters hair black. First time I have ever dyed hair, lets just say that I don't ever want to do that again. I felt like I was totally ruining her hair, it was so sad :( But we were able to help a less active, so it was all good :)

Tuesday we had our normal meetings. It was an hour and a half being told on how to work better, and to get the work done that we need to get done. It was good :) We were also able to try and see some less actives in the ward. It was just a little difficult, but still a good week :)

Wednesday was my doctor appointment. I was able to get a member ride, so that Sister Kelly could be with either sister and work in their area. It was a little difficult, but still good. I made it back just in time to go to dinner, and then to stop and go to Young Womens. It was Bermuda Dunes night, so we were able to be with them and have fun at their mothers day activity. The moms and the girls we both there. It was so neat!!!

Thursday was weekly planning, which meant trying to figure out how to work in the area for this coming week, and trying to fit everything in. We then finished that right before dinner. At dinner we had whole wheat waffles that were to die for!! They were sooo good!!! Thursday night we had a baptism. It was small, but very intimate. The Spirit was so strong there! I have never been to a better baptism. I loved it!!!

Friday we were on exchanges which meant that I left Sister Kelly in our area and went to another area with a sister training leader, think zone leader only for sisters. It was so good! That sister had a baptism on Saturday, so we were setting up for that, and working hard. It was good. I had a fun time seeing another part of the desert :)

On Saturday we had to go to an 8 year old baptism, because I had to play the piano at it. It was really fun to be there. We also got to Skype our families!! It was so good to see and hear my family again!!! It was crazy to think that if I go home my early transfer, I will be going home right before Christmas, so the next time I would see my family will be in person!! How awesome is that! Things are just going by so fast!! I love it so much! We were also able to go to a musical about the 10 virgins parable. It was so good! The Spirit was so strong there, and just amazing!

Sunday was Sunday :) Went to church, felt the Spirit. Had a great time. We had an investigator there, which was great :)

This week was good. A little harder than others, but still a great week!

Hope everyone has a good week!! Stay safe! You are in my prayers!!!

I love you all!!!

Transfer Seven Week Three

Dear Family,

This week was a crazy one, and a slow one. It was just a little different, but busy. I don't know. Just a different kind of week.

We are having a baptism this coming week!!! YAY!!!!!! Her name is Karina, and she is amazing!! She was raised in the church, but was never baptized. Her own sister thought that she was baptized, yeah, that is how into the church she was. Well, she is now in her 50's or 60's, she looks way young, and is ready to be baptized!! How awesome is that?? She was given to us, all prepared, and all ready to go! It is amazing!! I love how the Lord works :) Well, she is getting baptized, and after some drama of finding a font (we thought we were going to have to baptize her in her pool) we have it confirmed that on Thursday at 7 she will become one of cleanest people in the world :) How awesome is that!?!?!? I am pretty excited for it :) Karina is an amazing sister, and very loving :) Her husband is a non member, but totally supports her in every decision that she makes :) I love it!!! :)

We also picked up a new investigator this week!! Her name is Daniella, and she is great! She is 18 and a senior in High School, and is just awesome! She wants to have a marriage that lasts forever, so the first time we met with her, we told her that marriages in the church, are for eternity. They don't end at death. That made her really happy :) It was awesome!! She is so ready for the gospel, and is very prepared! We are so happy to be teaching her! She is just soaking up the information that we give her :) It is awesome!!

This week we have started to work on teaching 5 minute lessons to our members at dinner. It was amazing when we did it for the first time! The Spirit was so strong, and we asked the members how we did at the end, and they gave us some really helpful hints. It was awesome!!

This area is great! The people we are working with are amazing, and we are having a great time!!! There are so many people here that are so loving and ready to serve the missionaries :)

Oh, some exciting news :) Ernest got baptized, and I was able to be there!!! It was amazing!!! I had an awesome time going and seeing those that I worked with before :) I missed them, but after going back I know that I am supposed to be where I am! Heavenly Father know everything!! It is amazing!!!

Sister Kelly and Chaylee with their new haircuts. :)

I love you all so much!! Have a great week!!!! You are all in my prayers!!!

Week Two Transfer Seven

Dear Family, Friends, and Loved Ones :)

This week has been a really good one! Well, it feels like it has been.  Things have been going really slow though.

The area is great! I am loving it here. The members in both wards are awesome!! It has been so fun to be able to get to know them, and to be able to work with them!! I love it here so much!!

Sister Kelly and I are getting along great still! She is one of the best companions I have had! We are able to talk freely, and just have a good time. It has been great to also plan  what we are going to do when we both get up to school :) (Both of them plan to return to BYU-Idaho)


This week was a slow week. We are trying to get to know the members, which means that we forget to teach lessons, which means that we aren't doing very well with our numbers. It is all going to be good. We also had to drop one of our investigators. She was supposed to get baptized yesterday, but because of some
decisions that have been made, we aren't going to be able to see her again. It will all work out though :)

This week I hit my 9 months :) It is weird having been out half way!

Things are going well, and progressing. I am loving the members here!!

I hope you all have a great week!!!

Love you lots and you are in my prayers!!!

Week One of Transfer Seven

Dear Family,

 I love you all so very much!!! I am so blessed to have you on my side!!  Also, Happy Easter! It was an amazing day yesterday!

So, for this week :)

I have been transferred, as you well know. I am in the desert, and covering two wards :) I am covering the Bermuda Dunes Ward, and the Santa Rosa Ward. It is amazing! I love being out here! It feels like home, which is way nice!! The weather is also amazing! People keep telling me, I am so sorry that you are here for the summer. It is going to get really hot. I then remind all of them that I did live in Saudi Arabia. They then tell me that I will be perfectly fine here :) It is really funny :) The wards are really big, and a lot of them are really active. It is really cool to be in a family ward again. It is also really loud to be in a family ward again. Especially the ones that I am in. It is different, but really nice :)

My companion is Sister Kelly. She is amazing! She is 21, and has been on her mission for 6 months. She has been in the same area, with the same companion for the past 6 months. How crazy is that! I don't even know what that would feel like!! She is amazing though! She is from Texas, and has 6 siblings. She is great!! We get along amazing! I love her!! She is also really happy, which is amazing! It is something that I have needed. She also has this amazing Spirit about her. I love being with her! We talk a lot, which is nice, because I can say whatever, and don't have to explain what I mean. It is a very nice thing. :)

The work is going to progress so much! It was really neat to be able to drive to the desert. There was a different Spirit when you drive into it. It is not something  that I would have felt or realized if I wasn't a missionary. The best way I can explain it, is when you go into the temple, or when you walk into a church building. The Spirit is different there. You don't have to question where it is. It is just there. It is an amazing feeling!! I love everything!! It is just amazing to be here! The Lord has so many plans for the area, I can feel it!!

I have come to find out, that it is really good to have
a new pair of eyes in places. Sister Kelly hasn't been able to recognize things, because she has been here so long, that I am able to see, and to help her see. It is amazing!

The Lord really does prepare his areas, and his missionaries! It is amazing the work that is being done!

I love everyone so much! Have a great week!! You are in my prayers!!!

Sister Randall